


The Other Side of Mount Weather

by deowhy



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-03
Packaged: 2018-05-10 21:03:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5600773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deowhy/pseuds/deowhy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is a prophecy that when Mount Weather falls, the united clans must travel south, to the place where the Seven Rivers meet. But if they stay, the forces which were once held back by The Mountain's defenses will threaten to destroy them all. And they are beginning to stir...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Caged

**Author's Note:**

> Happy New Year & enjoy! (Remember, comments bring writers JOY. JOY, of course, stands for Justified neglect Of responsibilitY)

Clarke walked until she couldn’t feel her legs. Onwards, onwards, onwards. She walked in circles, trying to lose herself, trying to create a problem that she could focus on instead of constantly being pulled back to memories of The Mountain. She focused on her steps. Left, right, left, right, left, right. By staring at the ground, perhaps, miraculously, she would forget how to return home. A difficult feat for someone who knew the positions of each star in the sky. Who had drawn them countless times when locked away in a cell with only her own voice to keep her sane. Once on the ground, she had vowed, during a quiet minute to herself, that she would never again be locked away. Not in this new and magical world. All they needed was a bit of food from Mount Weather and the adults would know the new world was survivable. She would be pardoned. Little did she know the very same mountain she believed would be salvation would ultimately bring such extreme suffering.

  
A cell. The flashback started. A blindingly white room. A circular window. The shattered glass. A bloody hand. How many lives would have been saved had they demanded freedom immediately? Before the power of their blood was discovered? If she were a better leader-

  
No, no, NO!

  
A crow took off suddenly from a branch to Clarke’s right, startling her. She must have been talking to herself. Night was falling, and she stopped walking, instead sitting against the trunk of an old oak tree. She looked up at the stars peeking between each branch.

  
Clarke was shaking. Her heart was beating too quickly, and she couldn’t help but lift her fingers to her neck, checking her pulse. A hundred and twelve beats per minute. Above resting heart rate, and she was standing idly. The fingers she was pressing against her neck were trembling and filled with pins and needles. A panic attack. In, out. In, out. In for three seconds, out for seven seconds. Her brain simultaneously told her that she was dying and that she was fine. Between the doctor and the panic, the panic was winning.  
The mountain. The bodies. The screams. Lexa. Her betrayal. The indifference in her eyes. The lever. The memories went on and on, fighting for dominance and overwhelming Clarke. After an hour or so they began to fade and she was calm once more, but exhausted from the ordeal.

  
She breathed in the fresh air. Her ears could detect only the slight rustling of branches in the wind. No hum of a space station or underground ventilation system. Yet, even now, she was not free from her cage.

* * *

 

  
Clarke awoke when the sun reached its apex. She squinted up at the light, shielding her eyes, before slowly sitting up. Her head was pounding and her mouth was dry. One day without water. How long could a person go without water? Three or four days? Or was that sleep? She reached behind her and took out her water bottle and a few dry provisions. Instead of digging in, Clarke just stared dully. Finally, she brought herself to eat and drink enough to give her the energy to keep moving, but not enough for comfort. She would not allow herself to be found one day away from home. She left to spare her people from the pain of her decision, not to subject them to the burden of burying her corpse.

  
She walked onward, letting the days pass her by, allowing her mind to remain blank. But, even in the nothingness she heard screams. As she walked, they became louder.

  
Daddy, what’s happening?

  
Help us!

  
I’m scared…

  
Save us!

  
“Help! HELP!” The sound of a new scream, a real scream, ripped Clarke from her thoughts. She whipped her head around, confused. Was it the lack of water? Were the delusions beginning? She had been hoping for slightly less horrific delusions.

  
A low hiss directed her to the source of the cries. A young girl, eight or nine, had her back to a tree. A coyote stood before her. The girl’s left hand was curled around a knife, but her weapon didn’t stop her from calling for help. Clarke could respect that.

  
“Over here!” Clark scooped up a rock and threw it at the animal. The coyote’s head whipped around and fixed upon its new prey, beginning its lunge.

  
Its mouth was foaming, Clarke noted. There wasn’t much need for rabies shots on a space station - and even if they did have the medicine she needed, Clarke was probably too far away from camp even on horseback to make it within the twenty-four hour time limit. She closed her eyes. Dying from rabies was slow and painful, but she probably deserved it. Better her than the little girl, at the very least.

  
The coyote never made it to her. Its leap was cut short by a knife plunged into the back of its neck. When Clarke opened her eyes, confused at why it was taking so long to be ripped to shred by a coyote’s claws, she saw instead a very annoyed looking little girl standing in front of her with her hands on her hips.

“Auntie said you’d be tough to take care of, but man are you hopeless.”


	2. Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's called Meetings because Bellamy and Lexa have a meeting but also Clarke and Lily are meeting for the first time did you see what I did there? Did you though? Probably not because this is the summary that comes BEFORE you read the chapter but I can only imagine you will appreciate it so much more this way because otherwise you might not get The Joke (TM).
> 
> Why do I feel like you're rolling your eyes...

“Thank you for bringing this to my attention. It will be done,” said Lexa, masking her feelings with her very best regal tones. Bellamy stood in front of her, frowning slightly. One foot pointed towards Lexa sitting uncomfortably on her throne, one foot pointed as far away as he could go. Off-balance and unsure of himself. Why did Clarke have any regard for this boy?

As much as she didn’t want to admit it to herself, she understood. Bellamy’s dark eyes contained a fierce loyalty that Lexa could never match. Her duty to her people would always come first. Bellamy was a wild card – he was always just one step away from putting individuals he cared about above the good of the group. Weakness. Lexa would never be so foolish. She ignored the pang in her heart.

Bellamy stared at her wordlessly for a moment. This was the girl that Clarke had trusted. Why hadn’t he cautioned against it? Putting trust in the grounders? Both Clarke and Octavia needed a reality check. The Grounders cared only for themselves. Clarke…Clarke had earned his trust. Lexa never impressed him with anything other than her brutality. He thought they could use that against Mount Weather, but he was wrong. Always, always, he was let down by those he trusted. Clarke just walked away, leaving him to deal with the wreckage their choice had left behind. A band of teenagers who had too quickly seen too much of the new world. What hope had they of recovering without their leader? Not Bellamy, but the leader who inspired them.

How could she have abandoned them?

How could she have forced him, through her careless actions, to make yet another deal with Lexa? A costly exchange: laborious training from the Ark’s doctors in order to cure addictions to Red for the simple act of keeping Clarke out of trouble. Of letting him know where she was headed. Abby would be sure to agree, as she felt guilty enough as it was. Apparently the mother daughter duo had an argument while he was in Mount Weather, and she was still hurting from Clarke's abrupt disappearance.

Bellamy couldn’t keep quiet any longer. He had to ensure that Clarke would be protected. “I know you aren’t happy with each other right now. But I swear to God, if you harm her…” There was hissing from her guards, warning him that his threats were noted and that he should probably stop talking if he wanted to walk out of the village in one piece. He ignored them. “If you harm her I will hunt you down and make you regret it.”

Lexa stared into his dark eyes. He was weak and foolish, but unpredictable. It made him dangerous. “She will not be harmed,” Lexa said impassively.

It was probably the best response he was going to receive. He nodded, turned, and stalked away from her throne.

“We made the fucking deal,” he said angrily to Monty, who was waiting outside the tent. “She’ll be fine, okay?” The intensity of his voice was there, but his demeanor betrayed him. The stress in his stance from a moment before was gone. As much as he was trying not to admit it, ensuring the safety of his friend brought him great relief. Lexa watched them leave, wary. Even without Clarke’s leadership, the Sky People were a force to be reckoned with.

Indra stepped forward, laughing. “The fools. As though we would let a member of the Sky People traverse our land without being watched. And they give us their wisdom for nothing! A mere promise of protection! A word of information on her whereabouts! She could be dead, and they would never know.” She gazed out at the vanishing figures, bemused.

“You underestimate them,” said Lexa, playing with a small dagger she slid from a flat scabbard affixed to the inside of her sleeve. “And you underestimate Clarke. She is no simple member of the Sky People. Even if they do not know it, she is their Queen. Without her, they will break into warring factions. He cannot rule alone, as his personal interests reign supreme. Unless they unite once more against a common enemy. And without The Mountain, that leaves only…us.” Lexa swiftly threw the dagger at a small target hanging from the ceiling of the tent. “So long as Clarke is in our territory, and so long as Bellamy remains in charge, we have nothing to fear. But, should anything happen to upset the balance of power, we may be in trouble. We must keep an eye on the Sky People.”

The dagger was stuck in the wood, dead center.

"Now," she said, turning towards the messenger who had been patiently waiting for her to finish with Bellamy. "Tell me what news you bring of our current conflict."

* * *

 

"Auntie?" Asked Clarke, comparing the size of the dead coyote with the size of the small child. She was walking ahead with the animal's corpse slung over her shoulder. Yep, the coyote was twice her size and the girl's strength made Clarke feel inadequate. Just another day interacting with the Grounders.

"I'm not old enough to be your Auntie!" Replied the girl with a giggle. Oh, right. Clarke had been living in solitary confinement and with teenagers for too long. She had forgotten the ancient art of conversing with children, who apparently universally delighted in proving their intelligence through repetitively infuriating everyone around them. Clarke let out a small chuckle. The first time she had laughed since - well, either way, the girl reminded her of her childhood. She tried to ignore how hollow her laugh sounded.

"Who is your Aunt?" Clarke asked plainly. 

"Lexa."

The name filled Clarke with pain and anger, but she pushed them down, bottling her emotions. That's healthy, right?

"Why are you following me?"

"Since you've been...what's the word? What you've been doing in the forest?" The girl looked back at her, one brow raised.

"..." Clarke didn't know how to answer her.

"Moping! I got it," she said with a smug smile on her face, waving Clarke's nonexistent suggestions away with her hand. "I'm still learning some of the words in English," she explained. "Anyway, since you've been moping, I guess you didn't know that the Reapers have been causing trouble since their supply of Red is gone. They haven't attacked any villages yet, but there have been a few fights. I'm here to make sure you are safe! Auntie trusts me." She finished importantly, her chest puffed out.

"Okay," said Clarke, unwilling to burst the girl's bubble of happiness with any doubts. "So, since you know mine, I have to ask...what is your name?" Her voice was unused to speaking in such long sentences after days of introspective silence.

"Lily."

"Lily. Your family sure does like four letter names beginning with 'L', hmm?"

"You do know Lexa is short for something, right?" Lily scoffed. "I think she just wants to be like me," she said with a laugh. Once again, Clarke chuckled. 

"I didn't know she had any family."

"That's Lexa for ya. Always so serious. She probably just wants to protect us, but that's silly. I can take care of myself, after all!" Lily jerked her head towards the furry beast she was carrying. In a quieter voice she said "speaking of which, we're heading to the nearest village. This thing is dripping blood and it may have nearby friends."

Clarke nodded.

"Not that I'm worried!" Lily insisted as she looked around, checking to make sure there were no coyotes.

Clarke found it difficult to keep a small smile from her face as they continued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the words of the author of My Immortal, aka my inspiration in all things, "Fangs" for reading!


	3. Okkville

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if this pace will continue, but here's hoping! Enjoy and thank you for the kudos so far!
> 
> Unrelated, I only write one draft because I'm lazy and I don't have a beta to fix things up, so if there are grammar/spelling issues just pretend they aren't there. Cool? Cool.
> 
> Also unrelated, I hope you have a good day. You probably deserve it.

Another night, another series of nightmares. A burning village, hundreds of Grounders burning to death, their screams filling the air. The images transformed to those of children succumbing to painful radiation and filled Clarke’s mind. Lily, a smile on her face, looking at Clarke. Then, slowly, looking down at her chest. A knife was lodged in her stomach and she grasped it with two hands as she looked up at Clarke, horror flashing across her face. Clarke reached forward and twisted the knife. It was as easy as keeping silent as bombs streaked across the sky…as easy as pulling a lever. What was one more soul? One more atrocity?

Clarke opened her eyes, unsure if she had woken suddenly or had been consciously imagining the murder of Lexa’s niece for some time. She decided to believe it was all a dream. It brought her little comfort.

It was still night. As usual, Clarke was only able to sleep for a few hours before waking. She felt her face for the dark bags that were now permanent fixtures under her eyes.

Hours earlier, they had entered the village under the cover of darkness. Most were asleep, but a few Grounders were gathered around bonfires and in larger buildings, enjoying the cool night air and gossiping happily about their days. As Clarke and Lily approached, they fell silent, eyes fixed on her. Even in the darkness, they could tell she was not one of them. The light of the fire danced across their faces, and she could hear one word spreading through the village in hushed whispers as they walked. “Clarke”.

Lily pulled open the door of a sturdy log house near the middle of camp. “We have a guest!” She yelled in, ushering Clarke forward before closing the door to quickly deliver the coyote to be skinned by one of the hunting experts that was still awake.

Clarke found herself standing awkwardly at the entrance, looking around in fascination. She had never been in a house before. Tents and meal-halls, sure, but all the books on the Ark spoke of families living in houses rather than cramped rooms. It sounded nice. There was a large wooden table to her left and an adjoining kitchen area filled with hanging meats and vegetables and a wall covered in unmarked bottles filled with more spices than Clarke had ever seen. There was a large barrel of potatoes in the corner.

“Sit down, sit down!” Called a woman’s voice from another room. “I’ll be there in a moment.”

Clarke sat. “Are their farms nearby?” She asked curiously.

The woman entered the room and followed Clarke’s gaze towards the barrel. “Yes, they distribute food based on the population of each village in exchange for our goods. It’s simple for us, as we are within the Woods Clan territory already. The politicians sort out trade between the Clans.” If she was as surprised as the Grounders outside at Clarke’s presence, she hid it well. “I’m Varna, by the way. Lily’s mother.”

“I thought Lexa was in charge of the Clans, not politicians?” It was difficult to utter her name.

Varna laughed lightly, but her words carried weight. “Lexa is a Commander, and leader of both the Woods Clan and the Coalition. But, you would be mistaken to think her power over the other eleven clans is absolute. While I believe they will continue to back her as long as there is conflict, peace could mean trouble.” In the dim light of the lanterns hung at intervals throughout the room, Clarke could see Varna’s smile turn grim. “Some leaders would perpetuate war just to remain in control, but Lexa always does what is in the best interest of her people. Sometimes I wonder if she shouldn’t just…” She trailed off, eyes turning to Clarke as if just realizing she was not alone. “Well now, no matter! You must be hungry and tired. You have been circling the woods near our village for a few days now, after all.”

“I was trying to…forget.” Said Clarke lamely, but Varna just nodded solemnly in response. They did not speak again of Lexa.

The memories of Clarke’s day melted away as she surveyed the room in the dark. Varna had ushered Clarke into a room with a bed and ordered Lily not to bother her. The bed was softer than any she had slept on in the past, but it still couldn’t stave off the dreams. Clarke spent the next few hours in deep thought, waiting for the rest of the world to wake.

Morning came eventually. Sounds from the kitchen alerted Clarke to Varna’s activity, and she sighed in relief. Finally, she could distract herself once more.

Upon entering the main room Clarke saw Varna hard at work, chopping a potato into pieces for breakfast. It was simple work, but there was a calm reverie in the peacefulness and the soft smile spread across Varna’s lips.

The smile fell away when she saw Clarke.

In the light of morning, Clarke saw a coldness that she had been unable to detect the night before. She stepped back, unsure of herself. “Why…why are you looking at me like that?” She asked, the hurt apparent in her voice.

Varna looked back, searching Clarke’s eyes. When she saw what she needed to see, she began speaking. “I will be plain with you. Your life is tied to a very tenuous alliance between the Sky People and the Coalition. Even though Lexa believes peace to be necessary between the two groups, I think it will cause a civil war she is not prepared to face. If you were to die, the Sky People would once more be a reason to unite. Now, I will not betray my sister. She has shown my daughter great favor by naming her as the next Commander should she fall. But, your presence here puts us all in danger, as there are many in the Clans who support Lexa’s rule and would kill for her to remain in power, just as there are many who conspire against her and see you as a possible hostage.”

Clarke fought back tears. She would not show her weakness. “I am doing nothing but existing. If your people and my people want to play war games with my life, then fine. But don’t blame me for your sister’s decisions. Blame her. I know I do.” She said fiercely. She walked out of the house.

Clarke squinted in the rising sunlight. There were groups of men and women standing in the center of the village, looking tense as they discussed something of apparent importance. Clarke walked towards one group. Might as well find out what was going on.

“Yes, Reapers. Spotted four miles away. They should be here soon.” As Clarke joined the group, they parted to let her in. The speaker, a man with traditional Grounder war paint in diagonal streaks across his face, looked at her directly. “Sky Queen, we know of your bravery and prowess as a fighter. Please, help us strategize for this battle. What should we do?”


End file.
